Writing - part x692, Japan Days Friday

29 November 2018, Writing - part x692, Japan Days Friday

Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but my primary publisher has gone out of business—they couldn’t succeed in the past business and publishing environment.  I'll keep you informed, but I need a new publisher.  More information can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  Check out my novels--I think you'll really enjoy them.

Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.

Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:

1. Don't confuse your readers.

2. Entertain your readers.

3. Ground your readers in the writing.

4. Don't show (or tell) everything.

     4a. Show what can be seen, heard, felt, smelled, and tasted on the stage of the novel.

5. Immerse yourself in the world of your writing.

These are the steps I use to write a novel including the five discrete parts of a novel:

1.      Design the initial scene

2.      Develop a theme statement (initial setting, protagonist, protagonist’s helper or antagonist, action statement)

a.       Research as required

b.      Develop the initial setting

c.       Develop the characters

d.      Identify the telic flaw (internal and external)

3.      Write the initial scene (identify the output: implied setting, implied characters, implied action movement)

4.      Write the next scene(s) to the climax (rising action)

5.      Write the climax scene

6.      Write the falling action scene(s)

7.      Write the dénouement scene

I finished writing my 29^th novel, working title, Detective, potential title Blue Rose: Enchantment and the Detective.  The theme statement is: Lady Azure Rose Wishart, the Chancellor of the Fae, supernatural detective, and all around dangerous girl, finds love, solves cases, breaks heads, and plays golf.  

Here is the cover proposal for Blue Rose: Enchantment and the Detective. 

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising action. I am continuing to write on my 30^th novel, working title Red Sonja.  I finished my 29^th novel, working title Detective.  I’m planning to start on number 31, working title Shifter. 

How to begin a novel.  Number one thought, we need an entertaining idea.  I usually encapsulate such an idea with a theme statement.  Since I’m writing a new novel, we need a new theme statement.  Here is an initial cut.

For novel 30:  Red Sonja, a Soviet spy, infiltrates the X-plane programs at Edwards AFB as a test pilot’s administrative clerk, learns about freedom, and is redeemed.

For novel 31:  TBD 

Here is the scene development outline:

1. Scene input (comes from the previous scene output or is an initial scene)

2. Write the scene setting (place, time, stuff, and characters)

3. Imagine the output, creative elements, plot, telic flaw resolution (climax) and develop the tension and release.

4. Write the scene using the output and creative elements to build the tension.

5. Write the release

6. Write the kicker

          

Today:  I’m off to Japan and actually Tokyo again.  This time I’m going to see my son and daughter-in-law again, but with the addition of a brand new granddaughter Rinley.

I got everything packed up and ready to go.  We reserved a place on the Narita Express from Tachakawa to Narita airport.  The problem was getting to Tachakawa to make the 0636 train.  We had to leave the house by 0545.  It was actually pretty easy in retrospect.  On the train go for a couple of hours and then off the train and follow the directions to terminal 2.  Getting the right terminal was a little problem, but the monitors on the train showed flight info and our iPhone apps finally caught up and gave the proper terminal.

European and Asian airlines horde information like misers.  I’m not sure what they think they get out of it.  The Narita terminal was similar to European terminals.  You had to look at a monitor to find your check in area.  What always blows me away is how inefficient these terminals are and how crowded.  In the USA, our major airports have ten times more traffic (passengers) and traffic count (aircraft takeoffs), but the terminals are not nearly as crowded or confusing.  I will say, because of the lack of efficiency, there is some degree of effectivity—they have more help than they need and that helps keep the flow going. 

The check in, security, and immigration control are all examples of this.  One thing odd was that immigration didn’t want to take us as a family group.  Not sure how they would handle children with that policy, but that was what they wanted.  Conclusion, getting through check in, security, immigration, and customs was quick and easy. 

We boarded our flight on time and took off.  The flight was a JAL (Japan Airlines) affiliated with American Airlines.  We had premium economy seats to save money.  The drinks were plentiful.  The food was better than economy, but not nearly as good as first or business class.  The service was much better than the American Airlines flight and the bathrooms were plentiful. 

The food was nicely Japanese, but the quality was mediocre.  At least the rice was good.  The packaging and presentation was very nice, and the flight attendants were very pleasant and helpful.  They were busy, but efficient.  I will note that food choices were much better than European or American flights.  What I mean by that is that by the third meal, you are so tired and your stomach is so roiled by alcohol, sitting, and sleep deprivation that few foods taste or settle well.  Even smells at this point can be problematic for me.  I ain’t gonna barf, but I’m not feeling like a big anything.  A little rice and miso are the perfect thing at this point, and JAL provided. 

The landing was an unexpected thump—I think their autoland was off or the pilot was sleepy (that’s supposed to be a joke).  We knew when we arrived.  It was a great flight for however long it took.  We took off at 1100 or so and landed before we took off on the same day.  Now, the fun part.

Immigration in the USA at Dallas is particularly perverse.  I have few complaints, but I want to point out.  We had 3 immigration inspectors for multiple aircraft with more than 7 empty immigration ques.  Only 1 of the inspectors was handling US citizens.  Minneapolis and most foreign terminals us all their immigration ques and moves the crowd at a quicker pace with a little more scrutiny.  What was infuriating wasn’t really the immigration it was the numerous que Nazis in red coats.  They were everywhere.  They couldn’t speak English, and in some broken tongue, they kept giving instructions to the crowd of US citizens who could speak their native tongue.  I really don’t get what is going on.  Does the US immigration have the need to hire green card holders or illegals at low wage to berate crowds of Americans in broken English?  Is this a trick by our enemies from other nations?  Is this intended to put off foreign visitors?  By comparison, I’ve never been accosted in Europe or in Asia by a semi-official of a foreign government who could not correctly speak the language of the nation in question yet who was set to ordering the crowd while numerous real positions of authority (immigration officials) went unmanned.  Just saying, I think we are sending the wrong message and I wonder why all these red coated Nazis are necessary at all.  Then we went through customs.

It was almost a joke.  I guess they are watching.  I suspect they illegally inspect all the bags coming through without any warrant so they don’t even need customs unless they are going to arrest or fine you.  If you notice, you get little Soviet messages in your bags that they were opened and inspected.  This is illegal according to the US Constitution, but it saves time and keeps Big Brother in charge.  Then there was security.

I was kinda happy with the security check.  This is the way all security checks should be.  Everything stayed in the bag, no clothing came off, and the inspection was quick and efficient.  It was as illegal as all other unlawful search and seizure, but it was okay.  They also had dogs.  I’m 100% happy with dogs.  Dog searches without a warrant are likely as illegal as the bag and personal searches done by TSA, but they are somewhat more legal.  I would like to point out that at Abu Grab, the press and the world forums condemned the US military for illegal acts during war time when the US Military used dogs to handle Islamic prisoners.  So dogs are illegal to handle criminal terrorists, but okay for civil flyers.  I think the hypocrisy is amazing—don’t feel bad it you see he same irony that I do.  If you don’t mind Big Brother’s intrusive actions against the law abiding just ignore my observations, but if you actually worry about the loss of civil liberty under the control of governments, you might want to note the details.  I’d rather take the very low risk of terrorist activity and profile travelers instead of committing crimes against the US Constitution every day.  By the way, profiling is completely legal and harms few while the current illegal practices harms all travelers.  I guess a little illegality against everyone is better in the minds of the central planners than a little pain and suffering for the potentially criminal few.

Through the red coated Nazis, the insufficiently manned immigration, the redundant customs, the redundant security with their dogs (literally), and finally on an Airbus 219A owned by American Airlines.  I hate to point out the irony of American Airlines flying an Airbus but I will.  Especially since JAL flew us on a Boeing 787 from Narita to Dallas.  I ask, why doesn’t American buy American aircraft?  Airbus is a socialized and noncompetitive company who can only make aircraft at a competitive price because they are 50% owed and subsidized by a foreign government.  Just wanted to point that out.

The landing was better in Wichita, but those were US pilots.  We had to wait for our bags, but I was actually surprised again at the speed which Wichita moved the bags.  They must be manned better or have better management.  There were no red coated Nazis directing the crowds of US citizens in some foreign tongue. 

We found our driver and arrived at the house only a few hours after we took off on the same day from Japan.  I will note that I had a cigar dinner at 1900 and I had been up for over 20 something hours.                     

When I return, I’ll give you more about submissions.

More tomorrow.

For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:

http://www.ancientlight.com/
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com  

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